Wednesday, December 23, 2009

God's Compass

The mariner's compass is thought to have first been used in China in the eleventh century A.D. It consisted of a magnetized needle floating in water that consistently aligned itself with the earth's magnetic field. Finding magnetic north allowed mariners and travelers to know the direction of south, east, and west—and keep from getting lost.

To be lost geographically means to wander aimlessly without purpose or direction. The whole idea of "lost" implies there is a standard by which "found" is measured. Having a compass allows one to stay on a fixed course and gradually change one's condition from lost to found. When Jesus Christ said He came "to seek and to save that which was lost," what did "lost" mean? It means humankind has lost its spiritual orientation, that we were on a path leading away from God instead of toward God. It also means that Jesus is the only compass—the only means by which we can find our spiritual way home (Acts 4:12).

One's progress when lost is only as dependable as one's compass—and the world offers many unreliable ones. Since only Christ knows the way "home," we, the lost, must follow Him alone.

I do not know if there is a more dreadful word in the English language than that word "lost."Charles Spurgeon

Welcome to my Blog

ABCs of Salvation

A. Admit you are a sinner. "There is no one righteous, not even one ... for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." Romans 3:10,23. (See Romans 5:8; 6:23.)

Ask God's forgiveness. "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." Romans 10:13

B. Believe in Jesus (put your trust in Him) as your only hope of salvation. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." John 3:16 (See John 14:6.)

Become a child of God by receiving Christ."To all who receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God." John 1:12 (See Revelation 3:20.)

C. Confess that Jesus is your Lord."If you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." Romans 10:9 (See verse 10.)

Parables of Jesus

A Parable is…

An earthly story with a heavenly purpose, a story or illustration set in everyday life that illustrates a profound moral or spiritual truth. Many of the parables were told in order to make truth clearer, but there were times when Jesus used them for the exact opposite reason – to mask the truth from the spiritual prideful.